Former Hanford High teacher must register as sex offender as part of his plea deal

A former Hanford High School teacher reached a plea deal with the Benton County prosecutor that will require him to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Daryl Rachinski, 59, was arrested last June and charged with third-degree rape for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.

Rachinski instead pleaded guilty to communication with a minor for immoral purposes. He'll be required to undergo sex offender treatment, no longer be allowed to work with young people and possibly spend a month in the Benton County jail, according to court documents.

Rachinski reportedly apologized to the teen for sexually assaulting her and said he had never done that before, the documents said. The victim said she was going to tell someone at school, so he went to Richland police June 12 and reported it.

Help us deliver journalism that makes a difference in our community.

Our journalism takes a lot of time, effort, and hard work to produce. If you read and enjoy our journalism, please consider subscribing today.

Rachinski immediately was placed on administrative leave and investigated by the Richland School District before he turned in his resignation several days later. He was a foreign-language teacher and had worked for the district since 1994.

Rachinski's plea deal indicates the victim and her mother did not want the case to go to trial. It also said Rachinski was at low risk to reoffend but still should be monitored.

"The defendant admitted what he did was wrong and has been found to be amenable to treatment," the document said.